VW Cam Belt Warranty

motorguy

Cya wrote: »

For Harveybobbles

It was bought new 4 years ago with a projected life of 80K miles, VW have moved the goalposts.

Anihilator

I never suggested the belt shouldn't have a yearly life alongside it's mileage.(it didn't have ANY annual life quoted). My point is that if I buy something under a "contract" then VW should not be allowed to retrospectively alter that contract.

My suspicion is that they are being hit by claims for failures inside the projected life and this is their way of mitigating their losses. Fair enough, but I expect a very substantial contribution towards this cost.

Luv
Cy:beer:

I can understand your frustration - a few years ago i bought a 156 2.5 v6 alfa. The cambelt service was known to be a horror at £600 and had to be done by the dealer. It was documented as needing done at 72k miles. I bought the car at 50K miles, with a view to selling it on at around 65K a year and a half later, thus avoiding the expensive cam belt service.

So i left the car in at 60K and they said 'oh this is the cam belt service then' - turns out alfa 'recommended' the cam belt be done one service early and wouldnt pay out if you left it to after that and it snapped!!

:mad:

BikerEd

Cya wrote: »

I never suggested the belt shouldn't have a yearly life alongside it's mileage.(it didn't have ANY annual life quoted). My point is that if I buy something under a "contract" then VW should not be allowed to retrospectively alter that contract.

What contract did you enter into with VW? Where in the sales order / HP agreement / lease contract you signed does it state that cambelts are good for 80K miles? There is certainly nothing in the brochure about cambelt changes, only about service intervals, but there is a very clear statement on the service page that all information in the brochure is subject to change.

Cya_3

BikerEd wrote: »

What contract did you enter into with VW? Where in the sales order / HP agreement / lease contract you signed does it state that cambelts are good for 80K miles? There is certainly nothing in the brochure about cambelt changes, only about service intervals, but there is a very clear statement on the service page that all information in the brochure is subject to change.

Every time you buy or sell you agree a "contract", even verbally (English law). IMHO the service booklet forms part of that contract, falls under the heading "conditions stated and implied" , got Trading Standards looking at that one for me.

The Cambelt information is clearly stated in the service manual as being required at "80K" whilst under the "additional requirements at 4 years" there is absolutely no mention of cambelts.

Luv
Cy:beer:

Hintza

Buy a car without a cambelt the next time.

By the way the cambelt on our Golf went at 33k miles a month after it's 30k mile servive (but still in warranty).

If you want you could always leave it and then have a fight with VW if and when it goes.

Cambelts are an accountants answer to manufacturing cheap mass market cars and I agree with you on principal but they have revised their reccomendations since you car was produced.

maninthestreet

As a German car you would have thought that the cambelt would last a thousand years.

MrsTinks

4 years is pretty standard to be honest... and I doubt VERY much you have any recourse about it - there is always a pretty good get out clause and there is only so much info that they will put in brochures etc

As for the cost... take it to an independant - should halve the price and as it's out of warrenty (think it's under 4 years isn't it?) then you have no reason to take it to VW for the service... Mine gets done at VW but it's only an 08 plate... Our Santa Fe on the other hand gets done at an independant as the warrenty has finished - and it's a LOT cheaper (and frankly I trust my independant mechanic a LOT more than I do dealers...)

ohreally

Cya wrote: »

For It was bought new 4 years ago with a projected life of 80K miles, VW have moved the goalposts.

Rather than view it as moving the goalposts consider VW have reviewed a decision that with hindsight could leave owners exposed to a risk which can be avoided.

I would rather have this information sooner than later and i can make a judgement call when to change it.

Cya_3

ohreally wrote: »

Rather than view it as moving the goalposts consider VW have reviewed a decision that with hindsight could leave owners exposed to a risk which can be avoided.

I would rather have this information sooner than later and i can make a judgement call when to change it.

Agree entirely, however I believe that VW should pay for fitting an inferior part in the first place. Suppose this posed a serious safety issue? VW would have put out a recall and fixed it rather than risk the adverse publicity. I aim to get them publicity, good or bad, then prospective purchasers can make up their own mind with all the facts before them.

Thank you all for your comments I will of course vote in the only way possible and spend my next £18K on anything but a VW.

Luv

Cy:D

Nilrem

Given that cambelts are (from memory) basically a large rubber band 4-6 years would probably be about right as the maximum time for replacing them (our Kia has just had it's one done at 6 years).

I'd imagine no sensible car company would ever put "replace at Xk miles" as the only option on a perishable consumable deliberately, as some people might only do 4k miles a year, in which case that 80k replacement time is 20 years down the line

It's the reason they almost always put any service or replacement down as either a set mileage, or time period, as the parts tend to have an expected reliable life span that is based both on use and age (virtually every consumable in most handbooks mentions both a time and mileage for replacement, so one that just has mileage would be a fairly obvious mistake imo).

Re the service book, I suspect that typographical errors on a relatively minor thing wouldn't be enough to argue in court that a contract was invalid, although you may have a chance of getting VW to do the replacement free or at a discount if you push.

[edit]
I wouldn't say that it's inferior just because it's recommend you replace it at a set age, rather than just a set mileage, as virtually any cambelt in any car will have a recommendation for replacing at a set age regardless of mileage if it hasn't been done.

Hintza

Cya wrote: »

I aim to get them publicity, good or bad, then prospective purchasers can make up their own mind with all the facts before them.

But the rest of us have known this for last 10 years or so.....:exclamati